Government Proposals Could ‘Regulate Inshore Fishing Fleet Out Of Existence’

Fishing Minister, Richard Benyon MP, has agreed to meet a delegation of Cornish fishermen led by their local MP, Andrew George, following questions raised in the House of Commons today.

Mr George raised a question about the Government’s proposals for the future management of the Inshore (within 6 miles) fishing industry on the day that the consultation period on those proposals closed.

Following meetings with fishermen from eight coves and ports around the coast of his West Cornwall constituency in recent weeks, Mr George has conveyed concerns to the Minister that an unintended consequence of the Government’s proposals would be that they would regulate many sustainable fishermen out of existence.

Mr George said: “In the main, we are talking about a sustainable and low impact fishing sector of vessels which are well below the regulated 10 metre length.

“Whilst larger and powerful foreign vessels come within miles of our shores with barely any regulation or monitoring, local fishermen tell me that these proposals will create a rigid framework which will probably increase fish mortality and discard and regulate many of them out of existence altogether.”

Mr Benyon has agreed to meet a delegation from West Cornwall and arrangements will be put in place in the coming weeks.